Brush-cutting machine.



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.-

PATENTED PEB. l2, 1907.

H@ n W T. B. HENDRIGKS. K BRUSH CUTTING-MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 23,1906

A NOR/W5 YS nu: nomas Psrsns cn., WASHINGTON. D'c,

No. 843,604. PATENTED PEB, 12, 1907.

l T. B. HENDRICKS,

BRUSH CUTTING MACHINE. APPLIOATION rILBp APR.z3.19oa.

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18W n n v By I fu: mmm: PETERS ccA, wasHmornN, n. c.

THOMAS B. IIENDRICKSOF TWIN FALLS, IDAI-IO.l

BRUSH-CUTTING MACHINE.

No. eaaeoa.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

PatentedFeb. 12, 1907.

Application filed April 23, 1906. Serial No. 313,354.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. HEN- DRIoKs, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Twin Falls, in the county of Cassia and State ofIdaho, have invented a new and useful Brush-Cutting Machine, of whichthe following is a specification.

The present invention relates to brushcutting machines of sulky type;and it has for one of its objects to improve the construction ofmachines of this character so that the cutting-blades can be easilyadjusted to obtain the proper depth of cut or penetration of the bladesinto the ground for rooting out the brush, weeds, or other plants to beeradicated.

A further object is to so mount the bladecarrying frame that the strainsthereon incident to use can be successfully withstood during anyoperative position assumed by the frame and that the position of theblades may be maintained horizontal, or substantially so, throughout therange of adjustmen of the blade-carrying frame.

IVith these and other objects in view the invention consists of certaindetails of construction and arrangement of parts, to be more fullydescribed hereinafter, and speciiically set forth in the claims appendedhereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention in one ofits embodiments, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the brush-cuttingmachine. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with portions broken away forclearness of illustration, and Figs. 3 and I are details view ofportions of the means for supporting and adjusting the bladecarryingframe.

AReferring to the drawings, l represents the side beams, and 2 the endor cross beams, of the frame of the machine, which frame is supportedupon the axle 3, which at its ends carry the wheels 4. The rearcross-beam is of sufficient width to serve as a platform for theoperator, and adjacent each end thereof are seats 5, mounted on theframe by iron uprights 6. At the front of the frame is arranged a tongueor draft-pole 7, braced upon the frame by diagonal braces 8 and a centerbrace 9.

The blade-carrying frame is arranged within the frame of the machine andcomprises two side bars 10, arranged adjacent the side beams of theframe, a center bar 11, and transverse braces 12, bolted to the bars.The side bars extend from the front of the' machine to the rear endthereof, where they are turned downwardly and forwardly to support attheir extremities the rear ends of the blades 13. The center member orbar 11 is of considerably shorter length than the side bars and isarranged at the front ortion of the machine and has its rear endepending so as to support at its bottom the front ends of the cutters.The front portion of the center bar is bent downwardly to extend underthe front of the main frame, and secured thereto is a .member 14,provided with a series of openings 15 for receiving a clevis 16, bywhich the frame is chained to the tongue of the machine. The front endsof the blades 13 are disposed adjacent the center of the machine anddiverge rearwardly. At the apex of the blades is a vertical cutter 15',which inclines downwardly below the level of the blades and serves toguide the movement of the latter.

The blade-carrying frame. is supported by a system of parallel linkswhich-are arranged to permit adjustment of the frame in such a manner asto maintain the blades always in a horizontal position, so as tofacilitate the cutting operation. On the front end of the main frame isa second cross-beam 16 braced by means of braces 17. On the rear side ofthis beam are metal strips 18, whose ends are formed into eyes whichreceive the ends of the links 19 of the system of parallel links.

Supported on the side bars of the blade-carrying frame about midositionthereof is a transverse beam 20, hel in place to brackets 21. The lowerends of the brackets are boltf ed to foot-boards 22, secured tothetransverse bars 12. The center beam 20 is also provided with metalstrips 23, that have their ends formed into eyes to receive the oppositeends of the links 19. In order to support the weight of theblade-carrying frame, brackets 24. are secured on the side beams of themain frame, and j ournaled on the brackets is a shaft 25, to which theframe is attached by means of forwardly-extending crank-arms 26 andvertically-extending links 27, (shown more clearly in Fig. 3,) whichlinks are hinged to the center beam 20. In order to obtain the properadjustment, the

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lower end on the axle 3 of the machine anclsuitably shaped at its upperend to form a journal for the shaft. Extending rearwardly from andrigidly attached to the operatingshaft, so as to be accessible from theseats, is an elevating-lever 29, provided with a latch mechanism 30 forengaging a toothed segment 3l, mounted on the arm 20 of theblade-carrying frame. Thus by raising or lowering the lever 29 the bladecarrying frame can be lifted, through the crank-arm and linkconnections, to any position desired.

By the arrangement shown the blade-carrying frame is suspendedsubstantially in the line of gravity, and as the system of links permitof its being lifted in a vertical direction the operation of lifting orlowering the frame can be done with very little exertion. Furthermore,the links are disposed in the direction of pull exerted on theblade-carrying frame, and hence disposed to best withstand the strains.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe UnitedStates, is

1. A main frame comprising side and end cross members, an axle disposedintermediate the ends of the main frame to` support the same, incombination with a blade-carrying frame arranged under the main framewith its front end suspended free of the latter and extending to thefront and rear sides of the axle, means for supporting theblade-carrying frame on the main frame, and a mechanism for raising theblade-carrying frame and preserving the horizontal disposition of thelades thereof.

2. In a brush-cutting machine, comprising a main frame, an axlesupporting the same, and wheels on the axle, in combination with ablade-carrying frame, a system of horizontally-disposed links forguiding the movement of the blade-carrying frame with respect to themain frame, a transverse shaft on the main frame, means for actuatingthe shaft, and connections between the shaft and blade-carrying framefor moving the latter.

3. A brush-cutting mchine, comprising aa main frame, an axle supportingthe same, and wheels on the axle, in combination with a blade-carryingframe, a system of links between the two frames for guiding the movementof the blade-carrying frame, means for supporting the blade-carryingframe in substantially the line of gravity, a transverse shaft on themain frame connected with said means for raisin@ or lowering theblade-carrying frame, and a lever for actuating the shaft. 4. Incombination, with a main frame provided with brackets, of an axlesupporting the same, wheels on the axle, a blade-carrying frame,parallel members arranged one on the main frame and the other on thebladecarrying frame, pairs of horizontally-disposed parallel linksattached to the members for guiding the blade-carrying frame, a shaft-iournaled on the brackets, forwardly-extending crank-arms on the shaft,links adjustably connecting the crank-arms with the bladecarrying frame,a rearwardly-extending handlever on the shaft for actuating the latter,and a toothed segmentY and latch mechanism for the lever.

5. A main frame of rectangular forni., an axle disposed approximatelymidway of the ends of the frame, and a cross member at the forward endof the frame, in combination with a blade-carrying frame, a cross memberon the latter frame located above the axle, parallel links disposedabove and longitudinally of the main frame and pivoted at their ends tothe said cross members, vand a mechanism connected with thelast-mentioned member for raising and lowering the bladecarrying frame.

6. A main frame of rectangular form, a transversely-extending axle atabout the middle thereof, in combination with abladecarrying framehaving rearwardly and outwardly extending blades whose front ends aredisposed in front of the axle, means for supporting the blade-carryingframe on the main frame, parallel links connecting the blade-carryingframe to the front of the main frame and disposed parallel to the lineof draft, a mechanism for raising and lowering the blade-carrying frame,and an operators seat at the rear of the main frame from which saidmechanism is operated.

7. A main frame comprising side and end members, an axle supporting theframe, a transverse beam at the front end of the main frame and abovethe side members, a platform at the rear end ofthe frame, in combinationwith a blade-carrying frame arranged with its front end suspended ireeof the main frame, links extending from the transverse beam in arearward direction, means at approximately the middle oi theblade-carrying frame for connecting the latter with the links, and amechanism arranged to be loperated from the platform for raising andlowering the blade-carrying frame.

8. A main frame comprising side and end members, an axle supporting theframe, a transverse beam at the front end of the main frame, a platformat tne rear end of the frame, in combination with a blade-carrying framecomprising parallel side members and transverse members connectedtherewith, a transverse beam supported on the side members of theblade-carrying frame, parallel links connected at their front and rearends respectively, to the cross-beams of the main IOO IlO

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and blade carrying frames, a transverse rookmy own I have hereto aIiXedmy signature in shaft lon tie main frame, means forheonnetthe presenceof tWo Witnesses. ing t e b ade-oarryinoF frame to t e sha t, 1 an amechanism orbrocking the shaft for THOMAS B' HENDRICKS' 5 raising andlowering the blade-carrying Witnesses:

frame. J. O. LOE,

In testimony that I Claim the foregoing as L. KEPLINGER.

